Inflammatory conditions are a significant cause of disabilities that accompany a variety of disease states. Drugs currently in use for treating inflammatory conditions include anti-inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; immunosuppressive agents such as methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclosporin A, and cyclophosamide; and anti-rheumatic agents such as gold salts, sulfasalazine, antimalarials, and penicillamine. However, many of these compounds have undesirable side effects or are limited in therapeutic efficacy. Prolonged administration of glucocorticoids, for example, can often produce adverse systemic effects, e.g., on carbohydrate and calcium metabolism.
In the more recent past, there has been growing evidence that the cytokines TNF-.alpha. and IL-1.beta. are important mediators of inflammation and septic shock. Accordingly, identification of small molecule drugs capable of inhibiting the production of both of these cytokines would be useful for the development of novel anti-inflammatory treatment methods.